Edible Uses: None, the high quantities of saponins make this plant none edible. Other Uses: Like many of the family including the closely related Soapwort Saponaria officinalis the plant contains significant amounts of saponins particularly in the roots. What is a campion flower?
Full Answer
Is rose campion a perennial?
Rose campion ( ( Lychnis coronaria or Silene coronaria) has been classified by some experts as a short-lived perennial and by others as a biennial, but since it reseeds like crazy, it will function like a perennial in your garden.
Do deer eat rose campion?
Rose campion is very resistant to diseases and pests, making it a carefree addition to your flower bed. If you have problems with deer snacking on your perennial garden, you'll be pleased to hear that deer don't enjoy eating rose campion.
Do rose campions reseed themselves?
In the third year, the numbers of blossoms begin to decline, but they are eager reseeders that regenerate themselves every year. Growing rose campions is a snap if you choose the right location. The plants prefer full sun but tolerate partial shade, where they produce fewer blossoms.
What kind of soil does a rose campion like?
While it is not too fussy about soil, like most plants the rose campion does best in soil that is well drained. Avoid planting in wet areas, as this may cause the roots to rot. Rose campion is fairly drought tolerant once established, so is a good addition to a dry garden area. It has no special watering needs.
Is rose campion an herb?
Short-lived herbaceous perennial native to Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, Armenia and Siberia.
Is rose campion the same as lamb's ear?
Rose Campion, or Lychnis coronaria (or "catchfly"), is often mistaken for Lamb's Ear because of its color and texture but the leaves are narrow and it has long, hot pink 1" bloom in late Spring (on stems that can grow as tall as 3') with a long blooming season.
Is rose campion a good cut flower?
In fact, there is: rose campion. It withstands hot, dry summers, has a long season of bloom, and best all all, is shunned by deer and other four-legged nibblers. Oh, and it is not bothered by pests or diseases, is easy to grow, and holds up nicely as a cut flower.
What to do with rose campion after it blooms?
Deadhead the plant regularly to keep the flowers blooming. To encourage the plant to reseed itself, remove the mulch from areas where you want seedlings to take root, and leave the last flush of summer flowers in place to form seed heads. In spring, thin the seedlings and move some of the excess to other locations.
Is rose campion the same as Dusty Miller?
Silene coronaria, the rose campion, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to Asia and Europe. Other common names include dusty miller (this also refers to Centaurea cineraria and Jacobaea maritima), mullein-pink and bloody William.
How do you propagate rose campion?
Rose campion is easiest to propagate from seed. It produces copious amounts of seed and will readily self-seed. To encourage self-seeding, don't mulch around the plants. Leave the ground undisturbed around dead plants and seedlings will appear in spring.
Can rose campion be divided?
It is possible to divide the foliage rosettes but since rose campion is such a short-lived perennial, it's easier to grow it from seed each year. You can allow the flowers to go to seed. The seeds will fall naturally into your garden and germinate in the spring.
Should I deadhead Red Campion?
Dead-head regularly to prolong flowering. In autumn cut the faded flower-heads down to the ground and compost the dead stems.
Is rose campion deer resistant?
Low maintenance and highly disease-free, this plant is also drought tolerant and deer resistant.
Where do you deadhead rose campion?
0:001:46Deadheading Rose Campion ✂️ • Vertical Video Tutorial - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHave rose camping into deadhead just snip the stem where it meets the rest of the stem.MoreHave rose camping into deadhead just snip the stem where it meets the rest of the stem.
What does campion flower smell like?
It smelled like a simple grapefruit fragrance, sour and bitter, not very complex and quite linear.
What does campion look like?
White campion displays white flowers with five petals, each deeply notched and almost divided into two; its oval leaves and stems are hairy. In places where it grows alongside red campion, the two may hybridise to produce pinky or white blooms.
What other plant looks like lamb's ear?
Lamb's ear and common mullein are two very similar plants. They both have greeny grey foliage that has a soft fur on the surface that makes them look extremely similar.
What other plant looks like lambs ear?
Lambs ear (Stachys byzantina) and mullein (Verbascum sp.) are both plants with velvety, wooly leaves. They are in different families, require somewhat different cultural conditions and have different growth habits.
How to keep a flower blooming?
Deadhead the plant regularly to keep the flowers blooming. To encourage the plant to reseed itself, remove the mulch from areas where you want seedlings to take root, and leave the last flush of summer flowers in place to form seed heads. In spring, thin the seedlings and move some of the excess to other locations.
What does foliage do to a garden?
The foliage adds soft texture in the garden when the flowers are not in bloom. Flowers are sparse the first year but numerous in the second year. In the third year, the numbers of blossoms begin to decline, but they are eager reseeders that regenerate themselves every year.
What color is rose campion?
Image by Taiftin. Rose campion ( Lychnis coronaria) is an old-fashioned favorite that adds brilliant color to the flower garden in shades of magenta, bright pink and white. Rose campion flowers look at home in cottage garden settings and more.
What is the name of the flower that is used as a lamp wick?
The genus name ‘Lychnis ’ (Greek for lamp), comes from the fact that the felt-like leaves were used as lamp wicks in olden days. The soft, pale, gray-green foliage makes the perfect backdrop for the brightly colored flowers, with each blossom lasting only a day. The foliage adds soft texture in the garden when the flowers are not in bloom.
Where do rose campions grow?
It grows naturally on rocky, scrubby hillsides. The plants do well in rock gardens, xeriscaping, wildflower meadows and cottage gardens.
Do rose campions like shade?
Growing rose campions is a snap if you choose the right location. The plants prefer full sun but tolerate partial shade, where they produce fewer blossoms. The plants survive winters in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8, but they may not survive particularly severe winters in zone 4. Rose campion prefers poor, dry soil over rich soil, ...
Do rose campions like dry soil?
Rose campion prefers poor, dry soil over rich soil, and tolerates alkaline or calcareous soil. Dry soil is best, but the plants may need supplemental watering during extended dry periods. If you have to water, apply the moisture slowly, making sure the water sinks deep into the soil.
What flowers do rose campions like?
Rose campion combines well with many other plants. Rose campion combines nicely with pink, lilac, purple, and blue flowers and contrasts well with bright yellow flowers . It can also be paired with other magenta flowers such as winecups ( Callirhoe involucrata) or phlox.
How to propagate rose campion?
Rose campion is easiest to propagate from seed. It produces copious amounts of seed and will readily self-seed. To encourage self-seeding, don’t mulch around the plants. Leave the ground undisturbed around dead plants and seedlings will appear in spring. Thin the seedlings or transplant to other areas in late spring when large enough to handle. Space plants about 12-15” apart. The distinctive seedlings are easy to identify and easy to pull out if you don’t want them. Basal cuttings can also be taken in late spring.
What is a rose campion?
Written by susan.mahr. Magenta and white-flowered rose campion, Lychnis coronaria. Rose campion is one of about 20 species of perennials and biennials in the genus Lychnis. This group in the pink family (Caryophyllaceae) is closely related to – and is sometimes included in – ...
What is the name of the flower that is a lychnis?
The genus Lychnis, from the northern temperate zone, is quite variable, but all species have vividly-colored flowers. The genus name, used by Theophrastus from the Greek work l ychnos which means “lamp”, is thought to refer to the use of the woolly leaves as lamp wicks in ancient times. The common name of rose campion supposedly comes from ...
How many petals does a sage plant have?
This plant has a strong upright habit (even leggy in rich soils) when it begins to flower. A profusion of flowers up to 1” across are produced in summer. The simple 5-petaled flowers occur in small heads (terminal cymes) held well clear of the foliage. The petals are typically in vivid shades of pink or hot magenta that contrast nicely with the silvery foliage.
What is Dusty Miller?
Sometimes called Dusty Miller for the soft, silvery-gray, velvet-like foliage (one of several completely different plants known by this common name), it forms Verbascum-like rosettes of leaves the first year and spreading mounds 2-3 feet tall in subsequent years.
When do rose campions bloom?
A single plant can perk up a border, while a group or mass of plants will provide a swath of subtle color. The silver foliage in early spring. As with many silver-foliaged plants, rose campion prefers fairly dry, well-drained conditions in full sun or partial shade but will tolerate clay and moist soil.
Rose Campion Care
This perennial is easy to grow and adaptable to a variety of growing conditions. It reseeds readily, so deadheading spent blooms before they produce seed is a good idea if you don't want it to spread throughout your garden.
Types of Rose Campion
There are a number of cultivars available, including a double-flowered version. Some of these may be difficult to find. The gardens at Monticello sell a mix of seeds that contain several cultivars.
Pruning
You'll want to deadhead your rose campion to prevent it from reseeding (unless you want it to), and to remove the dead-looking flowers once the bloom season is done. The leaves provide attractive forms in the winter garden, so you may consider leaving them intact at the end of the season.
Overwintering
Rose campion is known as a short-lived perennial (much like other varieties of dianthus) or a biennial, so it may not return year to year in your garden unless it reseeds. It can reseed easily in the garden under the right conditions, and has the potential to become invasive, popping up unexpectedly.
Propagating Rose Campion
You can divide rose campion into sections and replant them, but because it is a biennial most people choose to plant from seed for grow more plants in the garden. You can allow them to re-seed naturally, or plant fresh seeds outdoors, in a location of your choosing.
How to Grow Rose Campion from Seed
This is a plant that is seen less often in nurseries than it used to be, but seeds are still widely available. It's relatively easy to grow from seed although you won't see blooms until the second year. The seed needs cold stratification to be viable, so planting in fall can yield plants in spring.
Common Pests and Plant Diseases
Rose campion is very resistant to diseases and pests, making it a carefree addition to your flower bed. If you have problems with deer snacking on your perennial garden, you'll be pleased to hear that deer don't enjoy eating rose campion. It's also not tempting to mice, moles, squirrels, rabbits or other rodents.
